


United, Bound, Pack

by pairatime



Series: United, Bound, Pack [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-11
Updated: 2012-02-11
Packaged: 2017-10-30 23:33:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/337391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were called the mean kids. And they were, but they were also friends, good friends but just friends, then the field trip to the Zoo happened and now they’re different; linked, closer, maybe more than just friends, a Pack. But then there’s Xander, an outsider who’s as much part of the Pack as any of them. A Pack none of them understand, a Pack he doesn’t know his place in anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	United, Bound, Pack

**Author's Note:**

> So I love the Episode The Pack and I’ve always wanted to see the effects of it explored more and polybigbang was my chance to do so. and I'd love to thank mary_greenman for the great art work.

[](http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/pairatime/others%20work/?action=view&current=unitedboundpackfd.jpg)  


**Link to fic master post:** [LJ](http://pairatime.livejournal.com/.html) | [AO3](http://pairatime.livejournal.com/.html)  
 **Link to art master post:**[Pinding]()  


***Alpha***

It was getting dark. He could see the last crescent of the sun just above the ocean and he could see the shadows of the trees on the ridge growing longer and becoming more complete but Xander just didn’t care.

The last three days had been, well not a nightmare but close, very close. First the possession on Wednesday and basically all of Thursday and then all of today trying to clean up the mess he’d made without letting on he _knew_ what mess he’d made. And thank God Giles was going to let that one go.

But the worst, hardest part of it all was the feelings. Feeling cut off and incomplete, like something was missing. A feeling that lessened when he saw the others and just got so damn worst each time he turned the other way.

Walking out of math class and seeing Tor and Heidi, walking with both of them to gym felt so right and it was so hard to see them all at lunch and walk toward Buffy and Willow. Each step was so hard.

What the hell was wrong with him?

He, they, weren’t possessed anymore and they weren’t friends before it happened so why did he miss them so much. Xander let out a growl as he punched the ground with his fist pushing down the desire, the want, for them to show up as he just watched the sun dip out of sight.

That’s when he heard the sound behind him, rustling in the bushes and trees. He clamping down the fear that shot through him as he turned toward the sound and slipped his hand into his jacket feeling the wood inside as he slowly begin slipping it out, “Who’s there, why don’t you join me for the sunset,” he called out as he saw two figures moving close through the woods.

“What are you doing here Harris?”

One of them called as he stepped out from behind a tree and looked right at Xander. Xander felt the fear vanish, replaced by annoyance and aggravation at the challenge from Kyle because of course it was one of the gang. He just glared at the other teen as he sniffed at the air, knowing that the soft scent mixed with Kyle’s was Rhonda crouching behind the tree and bushes next to Kyle her tan jacket just visible in the corner of his eye.

“What, you think this is your place? You’re the one that’s late to the party Kyle. Why are you here?” Xander answered back with a growl low in his throat as he rose never taking his eyes off Kyle as he felt his aggravation grow the longer Kyle returned his stare, “Stop trying to hide Rhonda and get out here!” he ordered as he took a step forward squaring his shoulders as his vision started turning red, Kyle was starting to piss him off.

Xander took two more steps and was within arms reach of Kyle the moment he saw Kyle ball his fist. He didn’t even recognize the snarl that comes from deep in his chest but he knew the feeling that came with it and it was all he could do to keep himself from shoving the stake in his hand through Kyle.

And that was when he saw the change. Kyle’s eyes widen while his skin turning red as him looked down making a low placating sounds and his hands open, shaking a little. And that’s when Xander smelled the fear. At the taste of it Xander let out a puff of air and could feel his body relax, his hands unclenched as he became aware of the woods again. But it was not enough.

Xander can’t stop himself, doesn’t really want to, from grabbing Kyle by the shoulder and pulling the dark haired teen forward, bringing Kyle’s ear to his mouth, “Don’t challenge me again,” he whispered making sure his teeth brush over the skin of Kyle’s neck, not pressing but making the threat known.

Kyle’s quiet response was lost to Xander as he took a half step back and forced Kyle to his knees as Xander locked eyes with Rhonda, still trying to hide. “I told you to get out here! I won’t ask again,” Xander could feel the annoyance and aggravation that had just begin to subside rising up again as he watched her. He could hear the small cry from under him as he tightened his fist at her refusal to come out.

And it was at that sound that she moved, coming out from the bush, head down, kneeling next to Kyle before freezing, one hand on Kyle’s knee as she glanced at her friend. And that’s when Xander let his own eyes travel from her to Kyle. The teen face, what Xander could see of it, was pale, pained and coated with sweat, his left shoulder, the one Xander grabbed and still gripped, had sunk lower. Unconsciously Kyle was trying to pull away from Xander, without pulling away.

The annoyance, the aggravation, was gone in the blink. Xander let go of Kyle and was back at the edge of the ridge in half the steps it had taken going the other way as he watched the two, suppressing the feeling of pride and…rightness, of seeing them down and deferring to him. He watched Kyle rub his shoulder with his hand and felt his whole face heat up at how wrong this was as shame replaced the pride. He’d hurt Kyle, he’d wanted to do more then just hurt his shoulder even, if Kyle hadn’t dropped his head, if he hadn’t given in…

It was just like at The Bronze and then later at school…okay Giles said he wasn’t possessed anymore and he didn’t _feel_ like he did when he was possessed. He just…didn’t like the way Kyle was challenging him…he needed to talk with Giles but first he had to deal with these two. “Why are you here Kyle?”

He watched as Kyle looked up for a moment before shooting his eyes right back down before answering, “I don’t know,” Xander didn’t even try and stop the growl at the answer but held himself back from doing anything more as Kyle continued, the pitch of his voice going higher a notch or two. “I really don’t Xander. I just felt like I needed to and so did Rhonda. It felt right to just go with it. And since nothing has felt right since the zoo…we just went with it. I didn’t know it was you when we saw someone.”

The teen just watched them for a moment before turning and watched the last few rays of the sun fight there away over the horizon. He could feel them watching him now. Looking up at him like he had the answers, he didn’t. He didn’t know what was going on, but it had to do with the possession but Giles had cleared him…had he- what was that smell?

Xander turned to look back at the trees spotting another form coming their way. Only this time Xander knew enough to place the scent so he called out “Over here.” He called out, startling both Kyle and Rhonda who both changed from looking toward him to turning to look in the same direction he was. When he glanced down he saw they were close together, Rhonda even seemed to be rubbing Kyle’s shoulder, had he hurt it that much?

This time when he saw Heidi approaching Xander readied himself, he focused on the feeling that had swelled when Kyle and Rhonda had shown up, this time Xander would be ready for them. He wouldn’t hurt anyone else tonight; he just wouldn’t let it happen. But the feelings never came as Heidi walked right to them and sat down next to the others and said hello, never even trying to meet Xander’s eyes.

He just let out a breath, studying them. They weren’t talking, they weren’t doing anything but just relaxing next to each other…and they were relaxed. Thinking back to earlier that day at school he realized how tense they’d been whenever they weren’t next to one of the others. When he’d seen Rhonda at her locker or Tor waiting to talk with the coach or in the halls when they weren’t together, they all looked the way he’d felt. Alone and cut off without the others.

Something was definitely going on, but Xander’s thoughts were derailed as he saw Kyle wince and pull his shoulder away from Rhonda. He needed to find out how bad he’d hurt Kyle. 

“Take off the shirt.”

He didn’t even think about it, he just ordered it as he moved closer to the three and dropped to one knee. And the surprise that ran though him wasn’t because Kyle obeyed him, or at how fast he did, but at how much he _wasn’t_ surprise that Kyle obeyed him. He’d expected it and that shocked him, almost as much as how dark the palm print on Kyle’s shoulder was.

Again without thinking Xander just reached forward and grabbed Kyle and pulled him closer so he could reach his shoulder and started massaging it the way Giles had shown him and Willow after their third run in with a vamp had left them both with bruises. Xander felt Kyle relax into his leg and that’s when it hit him. He hadn’t asked, hadn’t even explained himself, he’s just grabbed one of the school bullies and started manipulating him, and the bully hadn’t resisted and the others were just watching, Rhonda looked a little curious but didn’t do much beyond watch, seeming to be studying his hands.

After a few minutes Xander stopped and looked at the bruise, it was lighter than when he’s started and Kyle was moving it, testing it. “Feel better?” Xander asked as he picked up Kyle’s shirt.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Xander heard Kyle’s answer and smiled at it, and Kyle, as the other teen looked up and matched eyes with him for a moment before looking down, this time Xander didn’t feel any annoyance but pride and satisfaction that Kyle had learned his place and he wasn’t even sure what that feeling meant but he just let it pass as he just flipped himself onto his back and looked up at the sky that that was almost all dark blue as he shoved Kyle’s shirt under his head.

He wasn’t sure why he’d left his arms up at first but then he felt movement next to him and saw Kyle rest his head on Xander’s stomach while Heidi slide over around him and place herself alone Xander’s other side. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Rhonda snuggle up against Kyle as the other man start to wrap his arm around her before he stopped and looked at Xander. Xander didn’t understand now but he knew the question and he nodded then watched as Kyle finished wrapping himself around the dark haired girl.

Xander just lowered his arms, one around Heidi as the other found Rhonda’s hair and started flicking it as he looked up, spotting the first star of the night. “So tell me about your day,” he ordered, realizing that no matter how right it felt, how right it was, to be laying here with them he didn’t really know anything about them beyond their names, and he didn’t even know their last names. What classes they took if it wasn’t the same as his. He just didn’t know them and that needed to change.

And he knew that if it had been other people, any other time, listening to the others go on and on about their classes, parents, lunch would have been annoying and boring but in that moment, with them, it wasn’t. It was just fine and he was content to just listen to them as he held them and watch as the stars came out.

He hadn’t planned on stopping it any time soon but in the middle of Rhonda explaining why she lived with her brother and not parents he felt Kyle tense and heard Rhonda go silent. He half rose looking around as he sniffed the wind as he put a hand to Kyle when the teen tried to rise. Xander knew the scent at once, and that was something he was going to have to think about later, so he let himself drop back down as he waited for Tor to reach the group.

But even after he relaxed himself the others were still tense, Heidi pressed herself even closer to him but she did slid lower freeing the arm she had been resting on. And he felt Kyle, he’s head was back on Xander’s stomach but it wasn’t fully rested on it, he was holding up it and not relaxing onto him, and that’s when it hit him. They’d gotten out of his way. If he needed to get up to deal with Tor he could and that just made Xander smile.

All four of them were quite as they smelled Tor’s scent grow closer but Xander waited until he could hear Tor nearing them before he called out to the other guy, “This way Tor.”

The noise stopped for a beat then started up again, louder and faster as Xander heard Tor heading right for them. Xander just kept himself relaxed as he took a breath and readied himself to deal with the feelings of being challenged again, he didn’t really want to hurt Tor the way he had Kyle, he wouldn’t.

And then Tor walked into view, Xander could see his eyes casting around, looking at the group piled together with a guy they barely knew. But it wasn’t until Tor locked his eyes on Xander that the feelings came back. 

The annoyance and aggravation were rising again and even ready for them Xander felt everything drop in importance as he returned Tor’s stare as he took in the other teen, Tor was bigger then Kyle, they were about the same height as Xander but Tor was larger, broader in the shoulders. Xander felt the growl starting in his chest as he pushed himself up on his elbow then he saw Tor’s whole body flinch.

Suddenly Tor wasn’t looking at him but Kyle, who Xander could see was withdrawing his leg from where he’d just kicked Tor’s leg. The two were staring each other down, was that what it looked like when he was doing it? It looked and sounded intense as he heard a deep low rumble from Kyle.

The sound was too much for Tor as he turned his head away looking at the ground a few feet away and Xander had to smile at how right it felt as he saw the smirk on Kyle’s face when the teen settled back down and really relaxed his head on Xander again. Xander went with the urge to use his free hand to rustle Kyle’s hair; he just felt so content right now the only thing missing…

“Tor,” he called as he looked at the other guy. He watched as Tor glanced at him, but kept his eyes low, before Xander patted the ground next to Heidi and pointed his jaw at Tor. Tor seemed to understand him as he walked over and laid down on the other side of Heidi to him and then relax in closer sandwiching her between them. Xander watched him close his eyes and almost make a purr sound when wrapped his arm around them letting his hand rest in Tor’s close cropped hair.

He let himself just relax as he felt the tension in the others slowly lessen. He watched as Rhonda seemed to melt into Kyle while Kyle himself just seems to snuggle into Xander like a pillow, but his snuggling was nothing like Heidi who has all but glued herself to his side. He could feel her warmth all along his left side as she rested into the crook of his arm. He could see how calm she was, he could almost feel her heart slowly beating. The last to relax was Tor but after a few minutes even his large form felt relaxed under Xander’s hand where he’s pulled Tor closer to Heidi and himself.

Xander hadn’t felt this peaceful in too long, not since…not since he’s learned of Buffy’s world and lost-he cut off that thought as he just stared at the sky watching the stars between glances to his right and left to check on the others, not that he needed to he could feel they were as content as he was. But his need to know more about them was stronger then his desire to just relax.

“So why were you so late showing up Tor?” Xander made sure his simple curiousness was plain so Tor would know it was just a simple question and not a reproach, but why would Tor think it was a reproach? Xander just pushed the thought aside as he looked at Tor.

“The feeling to come out here started halfway through wrestling practice so I couldn’t but later, after when I could follow it…,” Xander could feel the shudder of Tor’s body and taste the fear and shame coming from him as his already quite voice broke and trembled, “the last time I followed a feeling like that it…the Principal” 

At the word he felt the other three tense up and the taste of shame and humiliation in the air thickened to the point of being overwhelming as he watched Tor bury himself into Heidi’s back as Kyle and Rhonda hugged each other tighter, just as Heidi was doing to him, and all their faces had become sickly pail.

“NO,” he yelled, adding a growl without even thinking as he pushed himself upright as the others jump at his sudden shout, “it wasn’t you, it was the hyena spirits, unless one of you feel like eating Ms. Cramen, any of you want to eat the history teacher?” Xander made sure to look them each in the eye as he panned from one side of the pack to the other, “I didn’t think so. It wasn’t you. It was the hyenas and they aren’t in us anymore.”

Xander forced himself to take a breath and test the air, the fear and shame was still there but it wasn’t over powering anymore and all he wanted to do was pull them closer and tell them it was going to be fine but he knew he couldn’t, he wasn’t there for that part. He didn’t know what it was like for them. All he could do was be there for them now, “It was the hyena spirits not you guys.”

“How do you know what happened to us?”

Xander was just trying to figure out what else he could say or do to help when Rhonda broke the silence that had fallen over them as he saw her look up at him with a face filled with curiosity and more then a little apprehension.

They don’t know. Even his limited understand of what happened was miles more then what they knew. How could he forget that, but how could he share without spilling Buffy’s secret…this was going to be tricky.

“It was Buffy and Willow,” he started taking a deep breath struggling not to show his nervousness, this was G-man’s gig not his, “They realized I wasn’t acting like myself, that none of us were. And what did the five of us have in common before today?” Xander asked taking a moment to run his hands over his pants.

“The hyena house at the Zoo but how did they jump to spirits?” Kyle seemed to be the only one willing to answer but somehow that didn’t seem to surprise Xander, it seemed right in fact.

“Right you are my man, the hyena house where you had to tease and torture little Lance and find out about Karma the hard way and I had to try and help him and learn that no good deed goes unpunished,” Xander had to fight back the feeling’s of anger at that thought, it was their fault but here he was in the middle of it, almost literally.

“Karma’s a bitch,” Xander let himself smirk at Tor’s comment before going on with his story, short was best really.

“A trip to the Zoo later they found out the Zoo keeper _wanted_ to get possessed by hyena spirits but hadn’t been able to do it.”

“Bet he was pissed that we did,” Xander only let himself glare a little at Kyle for the interruption but did let the smile show as the joke helped the others relax as the mood around them started feeling less terrifying. Heidi even nestled her head on his leg as Kyle and Rhonda snuggled closer after moving apart when Xander had sat up.

“Yeah Willow said he wasn’t happy, part of why he tried killing her once the spirits were in him,” Xander didn’t, couldn’t fight back the spike of anger at that as he punched the ground with a fist at the memory of the Zoo keeper trying to bite Willow. 

“Well he got what was coming to him. When he went over the cage.”

“Yeah,” Xander had to agree with the pleased tone of Kyle’s voice at the statement. The guy had got what he wanted, survival of the fittest and he just wasn’t very fit. “I’m just glad I can think again, by the end there…” Xander just didn’t know what to say, just thinking about how single minded and mindless he’s been, it still sent a chill down his spine.

“No that wasn’t…I never want to be like that again,” Heidi’s voice was almost to quite for Xander to even hear but the tone was easier to tell since it matched his own, anxiety at the idea of ever being like that again. And by their reactions he could tell the other’s were the same.

“So sprites are real? Like magic and stuff too?”

Xander just felt himself blink at Tor and had to almost literally bit his tongue to keep from sarcastically snapping something along the lines of just how dumb are you. They hadn’t been dealing with stuff for almost two month now, they hadn’t seen their best friend turn to dust right before them…this _was_ new to them, and when did he stop being surprised by it all?

“Yeah, magic, vampires, and witches. All too real honestly, because we’re not talking the hot sexy kind we guys dream about even if she was pretending to be a cheerleader,” Xander just shook his head at all the fantasies that day had cost him. He’ll never be able to watch Elvira, Mistress of the Dark again and that was just wrong.

“Huh, Xander not that I don’t believe you, after the last few days I kind of do, but still, vampires? As in drink blood and turn into bats?”

Xander let his smirk show as he remembered his own reaction to overhearing Buffy and Giles, “No worries Tor. I didn’t really believe it until I saw one vamp out in front of me and then turn to dust when Buffy staked him. That was an eye opener of a night but so far no flying bats just fangs and drinking of the blood.”

“Last year my brother’s senior prom…a gang attacked, some of the deaths, my brother’s…was blood lost. Do you think…?”

Once more Xander wasn’t sure what to say as he looked down at Heidi who was slowly sitting up. Xander could see she was on a verge of crying and Xander had to push away the regret at bringing it up, “I’m sorry,” was all he could think to say as he nudged Tor and looked from him to Heidi until Tor got the hint and pulled the blond into a hug letting her rest her head in his shoulder.

“So all the deaths and disappearances from school…”

“Mouth of Hell not the smartest place to build a town but then we _are_ American. What others call dumb we call a challenge,” Xander joked as he watched the others. They were getting nervous again, but he didn’t pick up any fear, as they looked at each other.

“So you and your friends know about this stuff and do what? You’re a bunch of lowly sophomores.”

And the annoyance and aggravation were back, “It was two of those sophomores that just saved your ass,” Xander said throwing in a growl by choice this time as he stared down Kyle again, “And don’t forget I’m a sophomore too, think I’m lowly?”

“No.”

Kyle’s direct and simple answer as the other teen touched the still visible bruise on his shoulder calmed the aggravation he felt but Xander knew he needed to get a better grip on whatever was going on with him or he was going to get into a fight with someone. “Good to hear. Look I’ll give you the lowdown about the things that go bump in the dark but first one rule, don’t be out alone after dark if you can avoided it.” Xander told them as he stood up grabbing Kyle’s shirt from behind him to throw at Kyle “only go out in a group if you have to.”

“A group, like the five of us?” Xander heard Kyle asked as the dark haired teen shook out his shirt, and then pulled it over his head.

“That’s the idea,” Xander explained while trying to remember all the things he’d learned in the last couple of months and how to pass that on to them without telling about either Buffy being the Slayer or about Giles at all. 

“We hang out most of the time anyways, I don’t see that changing, well expect for there being five of us and not four anymore, right?”

Xander could hear the uncertainty in Kyle’s voice and could sense all the others focusing on him as he started leading them away from the ridge back into the town itself. 

But what he couldn’t tell was which answer they wanted, that he’d be around or he wouldn’t. And he wasn’t sure which he wanted. On the one hand the last three hours had been the best hours all week, not that it had been a great week so that wasn’t saying too much. On the other hand: Willow and Buffy. And he didn’t think the groups would mix too well and not just because of the sophomores/junior thing either. So he went middle ground.

“I think I’ll be around some, but not all the time, but back to other stuff it’s not just vampires you have to watch out for, no that would be too easy and "Sunnyhell" is never that easy,” Xander said while watched them react to his answer, Kyle, and Rhonda, relaxed a bit, and that tracked, Heidi didn’t seem to do anything but take in the information but Tor…he seemed to deflate a little like he _wanted_ Xander around but he didn’t know why the jock would but then he knew the least about him since he missed the getting to know each other part of the evening. He’d have to fix that later.

“So what else is there?”

“Remember Ms. French a few weeks back,” Xander said turning to Kyle, just stopping the shudder at the thought of her.

“I’ll never forget her. I was looking forward to _sex_ ed with her.”

Xander just had to shudder at that one, remembering when he thought the same thing, “You only think you would, she wasn’t human and really not a looker even by bug standards, which is what she was,” Xander told them smiling at the looks of horror on Kyle’s and Tor’s face and glee on Rhonda’s and Heidi’s.

The next hour or so passed fairly quickly as Xander told them modified stories of his life since finding out about Buffy as the group slowly made their way toward first Heidi’s house, a small two story place by the school, then Rhonda’s apartment, third floor place by the Base, and last to Tor’s, a large place not far from Cordelia’s, and he’s spent way too much time not stalking her with Jesse to even have been able to realized that.

“So you can be quiet.”

Xander looked up at the comment from Kyle and pushed back the regret and loss, “Mock and you’ll find out just how rare that can be,” he didn’t even try to force a grin at that one, he just kept walking toward the address Kyle had rattled off as his home, a place a block from Buffy’s oddly enough.

The next few minutes were quiet as Xander just started making a list of questions he really needed to ask Giles, or look up himself and wasn’t that thought just revolting, voluntarily researching what was the world coming too? But even as he made the list he could see Kyle fidgeting out of the corner of his eye. If he wasn’t shoving his hands into his pockets he was pulling them out and Kyle the constantly glancing over at him before quickly looking away.

“Kyle relax, I know it’s a lot to take in but you get used to it,” Xander said when it just became too much. And really out of the group he thought Kyle would take it the best, if he was taking it this bad the others must be really freaking.

“That’s not it, well not all of it, it’s just.”

The growl of frustration he heard from Kyle almost told him more then his words, Kyle needed to get something out and everything pointed to him needing help. “Okay then tell me what it is. And don’t worry about making sense we’ll do that some other time.”

He watched as Kyle just looked at him a minutes before the teen turned around and kicked at a lamppost as he ran his hands through his hair before spinning about to face toward him again.

“It’s you, and how I feel whenever you’re around. Ever since the zoo. The gang my gang, but now you. And I wanted to fight but then you made that sound and then your hand and I freaked. I should just let it go but I can’t because they’re mine and who the hell are you to challenge that?”

Xander was managing to follow some of Kyle’s tirade, not really will but some. He hadn’t, however, missed the challenge in Kyle’s voice or in his last words. The moment he heard Kyle call them his it was like every sense was on red alert so he saw the punch coming before Kyle knew he’d throw it if the other teen’s eyes were any indication.

His own hand lashed out at Kyle on instinct going for the weak spot of the solar plexus as he shifted out of the way of Kyle’s first punch. But then Kyle’s second punch did land in his side even as the older teen was sucking in air and it changed everything.

Everything became a blur and muddled, he wasn’t thinking just moving. One moment he was slamming Kyle’s face against the lamppost and then his arm felt like it was being ripped from its socket as his face was grinding into the sidewalk, next he was standing in grass and then he was grappling in the dirt.

As quick as it started it was over. Kyle was lying under him, his body limp and his eyes, Xander couldn’t quite place the look in Kyle’s eyes but it worried him. He needed to figure it out he thought as he let out a breath as he rolled off of Kyle. “I told you not to challenge me again Kyle.”

“Yeah….” 

Xander frowned at the whispered word as he watched Kyle slowly roll over and push himself up to sit against a tree before the teen brought his hand up to his busted lip.

“Look, I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I’m not normally this…possessive of my friends, protective yes, possessive no but right now I am. And I think you are too,” Xander said as honestly as he could as he stood up and offered a hand to Kyle still not liking the look he had seen in Kyle’s eyes.

“Maybe, I’ve never seen you fight before. I didn’t even know you could.”

“Three mouths ago you would have laid me out no problems,” Xander answered the hidden question as Kyle took his hand and he helped the other teen up. “And by the way fighting by a park, at night, in this town is not the best idea. We need to get indoors.”

***Interlude: Fratertris***

It was Saturday and Kyle didn’t want to get out of bed.

Part of him hoped that if he didn’t get out of bed his mother would start yelling for him to get up and get to school and it could all been a bad dream. It could still be Wednesday and they hadn’t gone to the Zoo. He and his friends hadn’t be possessed by some thing that really shouldn’t exist, they hadn’t eaten…anything they shouldn’t have and _Xander_ was just a kid from school they picked on every so often and not becoming part of his pack.

But it didn’t happen. He felt the room get warmer as the sum climbed higher, filling his room with light despite the best efforts of the curtains. He knew it was well past time for school and that meant it was Saturday and the last few days did happen. Last night happened.

Thinking about last night only confused Kyle even more. The first part was plain scary. He’d wanted to hurt Xander. Wanted to feel his body give out under his fists but when he confronted him he freaked. Xander was just…a lot different, stronger, than he had believed. And at first he’s been fine, something felt right about it and after the last couple of days he wasn’t going to question anything that felt right.

But then they walked everyone home and Kyle realized Xander was going to be last. That he was going to take the risk of being out alone at night in what was, as he had just learned, the vampire capital of America. Xander was taking the role of leader, making sure everyone else was okay and that was his job, his responsibility, not Xander’s.

And then he’s found out he couldn’t take Xander in a fight. And wow was that fight a bad idea, Kyle thought again as he tossed aside the covers and gingerly got out of bed. He could feel everything as if it just happened and that sucked. He slowly stood and then started stretching out his arms and shoulders working through the tightness before he started fishing around for some clean clothe and he really needed to remember to drop his basket downstairs so they’d get washed.

A few minutes later Kyle was stepping out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He had bruise scattered over his body, the one along the side of his face was going to be the most visible and his parents were going to see it before the weekend was out. The ones on his shoulder, side and thigh he could cover for the most part but…his parents were going to know he’d been in a fight and that was going to be fun trying to explain. 

Yeah I was pissed at this guy that took over my friends when we were possessed by hyena spirits and the spirits are gone but he’s still around so we went at it. That would go over well. If he made it out today maybe he could say he got it playing ball with Tor that could work, but what to tell Tor?

Kyle counted himself lucky as he was able to get out of the house without his parents seeing him. His father glued to the newspaper and his mother already out in the garden so he didn’t have to do anything other then shout that he was meeting Tor. Now he just had to hope Tor would be at their usual hoop this early. 

His luck wasn’t holding when he made it to Triangle Park and Kyle let out a breath as he just made his way over to the cluster of trees that he and the others had staked as their own. Kyle jumped to his own branch, pausing just a beat before he starting climbing around the tree, letting his mind drift to everything he’s learned the night before as he waited.

And really the town made a lot more sense now. All the deaths and other odd stuff…maybe Cindy hadn’t been nuts when she said the snowmen attacked her last winter. Whatever happened to her anyways? Maybe she didn’t just drop out like he thought after all. And Heidi’s brother…he was going to have to find out more, like how to kill them all.

Kyle was pulled from his thoughts later when a ball bounced into the trunk next to him accompanied by his name. Tracking the ball back to its source, Tor, Kyle debated on telling Tor how the bruises happened one last time as he jumped down landing next to the blond teen.

“What the hell happened to your face, you look like you were slammed into the tree instead of just climbing it.”

“What do you think happened?” Take the non-answer for what it is and just let it go, come one.

“Who…?”

Hell, when did Tor start getting this protective? Kyle thought as he saw Tor clench his fist and let out a growl almost as intense as the rage in his eyes, he knew Tor could be aggressive but this was a bit much even for him. “It was my own damn fault; I swung first. Xander’s just a better fighter than I thought.” And didn’t that suck to say.

“Oh.”

Kyle watched as Tor seemed to go from enraged hulk to chill in a blink and that just pissed him off. It was okay if he got beat up if it was Xander, no that’s not why he calmed down I said it was my fault that’s why he calmed down, he wasn’t picking Xander over me, he wasn’t, really.

“Yeah, if anyone asks I got it playing ball, got it?” Say yes, show me you’re still my buddy.

“No sweat Kyle, I’ve got your back.”

The relief that floods through him at Tor’s easy and unhesitating answer only forces him to face just how panicked he’d been. He shouldn’t have worried, what’s gotten into him, he never worried about where he stood with his friends before.

“So come on let’s play some hoops before the girls get here.”

“Well if you insist on being embarrassed I can oblige that,” Kyle said with a grin he really felt as he dashed past Tor grabbing the ball.

It felt great doing something normal after the last week.

***Beta***

Just his luck. The one day he needed Giles to be around the school on a weekend and he wasn’t there. Didn’t he live in the library or something? He was always there. And why he’d lock the doors. Xander may have wanted some answers but he wasn’t going to break _into_ school to do research; he had some self worth left.

It would just have to wait until Monday then, he’d just have to get to school early. School early, just what was his life coming too-what’s that he thought as he felt like someone was trying to get his attraction.

Xander stopped mid stride as he looked around the street but he couldn’t see anyone or anything around that accounted for the feeling, then he saw two girls come around the corner at the far end of the block, Rhonda and Heidi, Xander didn’t know why he knew it was them he just did, he didn’t even worry around it this time, he’d deal with it Monday.

“And what are two such lovely ladies doing up this early on a weekend morning?” Xander called out to them as he jogged closer to the pair, smiling at the contentment he felt as he headed their way, a feeling that doubled as he saw them smile back.

“It’s almost nine, that’s not early, that’s mid morning.” 

The patronizing tone didn’t bother Xander in the least after having Jesse and Buffy for friends and the smile on Rhonda’s face undercut any real effect so he just grinned at her, “Really is that what they call it? I thought it was time to sleep in math class. Always works for me.”

“And Carter lets you? Man she’s eased up since last year.”

“Well Heidi, Ms. Carter and I have something of an understanding,” He started as he turned to the blond as he grinned, “As long as I keep my book open and paper out so I look like I’m working, I can sleep,” he finished enjoying the smile on both the girl’s faces.

“That’s a good understanding to have but does _she_ know about this understanding?” 

Xander just grinned at Rhonda’s question as he placed himself in between the girls and dropped his arm over their shoulders, “Why would she?” he answered before he returned to his first question. “So where are we going?”

“We’re meeting Kyle and Tor at the park to hang out; it’s how we spend most of our weekends.”

“Good to know,” and it was, he really needed to find out what they did with there time since he was going to be spending more time with them now and really he couldn’t imagine not spending time with them, and if he was lucky it’d stop being weird as well as right at some point, “So which park are we heading too?”

“Triangle.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” he said as he just kept walking along with them as he listened to them talk, adding a few jokes or comments himself when he felt the need, as they made their way to the park.

They had just reached the park and Xander was about to ask where they normally met when he felt Rhonda break into a faster walk toward a small out cropping of tree with the outline of two guys under it.

Heidi kept the same pace so he decided to as well as he watched as one of the two stepped out from under the tree and once into the sun it was clear it was Kyle, who was now kissing Rhonda. 

And Xander wasn’t sure what to make of that. He hadn’t known Kyle and Rhonda were together, they were always together at school but well the gang was almost always together but it was still a surprised and he didn’t like that feeling when it came to them. But the weirdest part was still feeling pleased about it. He hadn’t known before but now that he did, he liked it. They were a good match, but he was still annoyed he hadn’t known.

He just shoved the feeling aside as he and Heidi drew closer to the trees and could see little more than shadowy shapes under them. Kyle and Rhonda had retreated back under the shade and where sharing one of the larger branch, that really looked more like a trunk that had grown partially sideways, where Rhonda was tracing the bruise, it was already turning a deep purple around the edges Xander noted once he was also under the tree’s shade, with a scowl on her face.

Tor was sitting by the base of the tree leaning against a fair sized rock as he watched them. And smoked a cigar. “You smoke cigars?!” he asked in surprise. He knew they all smoked cigarettes on occasion, he’d seen it at school, but never cigars.

“He does the rest of us can’t stand the taste. They’re worse than cigarettes.”

Xander watched Kyle make a yuck face to go alone with his answer and caught Heidi smiling out of the corner of his eye as she looked at Tor so Xander followed her gaze in time to see Tor exhale a large cloud smoke in the couple’s direction, but didn’t make it anywhere near them Xander saw, before sending his reply.

“What have I told you about comparing my cigars to those things, huh? This is a fine Cusano not some swept off the floor mass produced half paper crap.”

He watched as they traded taunts back and forth while Rhonda rolled her eyes and Heidi just smiled as she settled next to the trunk of the tree. Xander just listened to what he guessed was a long standing argument/joke between them as he picked his own spot under the tree, enjoying the sun filtering through the leaves. He was so lost in the moment he’d almost missed that Tor had turned toward him and asked him something, he did miss what was said, “What?”

“Want one?”

He’d asked if he wanted a cigar, Xander realized as Tor held up a cigar as he looked at him questioningly. He’d never had one before, never smoked anything before, he’d never really wanted to before, but Tor looked kind of hopeful, and what was with Tor. There was still something there he to pin down. Maybe…

“You know, I wouldn’t mind giving it a try but not right now, we’ll have to do that later.”

Xander watched Tor as close as he could without being obvious when he answered. Tor grinned at the first part, then lost it when he’s said not now but a smile had replaced it with the last part…yeah there was something about Tor he needed to know and that would give them the reason to talk.

“Cool, let me know when, you know if you want.”

“I will, but you guys don’t smoke cigarettes? Because I could have sworn I’ve seen you with them at school,” Xander told Tor, noting the forced ‘it’s cool whatever’ front Tor was putting up, and given the look Tor was getting from Rhonda he wasn’t the only one to see it. Yeah Tor was joining Giles on the need to talk to list.

“All part of the bad girl act. And it use to drive Flutie nuts….”

He felt his own chest tighten as the air itself become tense the moment Rhonda spoke the Principal’s name and Xander had to force himself to breath as he squish down the joke about asking if Flutie tasted nutty, it was to soon but he needed to do something, something to distract them get them focused on something else, Kyle’s eye would work. “So how are the bruises doing Kyle?” 

The teen watched Heidi and Rhonda just looked over to him but it was Rhonda that spoke, no surprise there. “Bruises, as in more then one? And how did they happen?” as he saw Rhonda turn toward Kyle the other dark haired guy’s face changed from annoyed to a smirk.

“Basketball foul, they happen, and I’ll show you the others later,” he was sure Xander, and the others, caught the offer as Kyle took Rhonda’s hand and started sliding it down his chest, right for the groin.

“Nice try lover boy, but you didn’t get them playing ball this morning, did he Tor? Because then Xander wouldn’t know about them.”

Rhonda was smart and quick on the uptake, definitely a good match for Kyle. But not so much for Tor, Xander thought as he looked over at Tor who was looking between where Rhonda and Kyle were sitting and at him, guess Kyle told him the real reason for the bruises already, looking conflicted. So Xander just answered for him “No, he didn’t, and as for why I know about them. I gave them to him,” he said fighting to keep his voice level and confident, he took Kyle last night but no way could he take all four of them at once. Rhonda alone, probably.

“What?” 

The growl in Rhonda’s voice wasn’t unexpected; her not jumping at him to try and do something was unexpected, at least until he saw that Kyle’s hand around Rhonda’s midsection was the only reason she hadn’t.

“I attacked him Rhonda and I’d really rather you didn’t get matching bruises.” Kyle said softly.

Xander watched as Kyle held Rhonda back until his statement sunk in enough to calm her down but he still wasn’t letting her go, likely a good idea since she still looked pissed.

“You sure it was a fight? Because it looks sort of one sided from here.”

The venom in her voice scared Xander a little, any fight with her was going to be a very different fight than his fight with Kyle but he hoped he could pull the plug on some of her anger right now. “I wouldn’t say it was all one sided,” the look of satisfaction on Rhonda’s face when he pulled up his shirt and exposed his own bruises irritated him even if he had know it was going to happen. But it was balanced by the look of guilt on Kyle’s face and mild concern on Heidi. He hadn’t even tried to figure out what Tor’s reaction would be, but something more than mild concern and the anger he saw wouldn’t have been among his top guesses.

“Why…why were you two fighting?”

Xander saw he wasn’t the only one to turn to Heidi when she spoke, and he was a little surprised she asked the question since she was rather quite most of the time. Or maybe it was her way of dealing with everything.

“Well, I thought we should head down Pine street but he thought we should take Washington,” He answered Heidi with as straight a face as he could until the confused looks just become to much and he let out a laugh. 

“Your attempt at humor is going to take some getting use to, and it was between us and we’re cool so don’t worry about it.”

Are we? He still wasn’t completely sure what set Kyle off the night before but if Kyle was over it…”So what do you guys go on a Saturday morning other than sleep in?”

“We play basketball; hang at the mall, you know, the usual.”

Maybe they weren’t all that different after all. “So that is a basketball behind you Tor. Get it out here and let’s find out if you guys are any good.” Xander grinned as he stood while the others threw out their own taunts back at him. Tor stubbed out his cigar before grabbing the ball from behind him and threw it at him, rather hard and with a challenge, just like…just like Jesse use to really.

“We got game Xan, the question is can you keep up?”

Xander just grinned back at Tor’s use of a nickname as the group made their way over to one of the courts and Xander didn’t even say anything as they not so subtlety cleared it of the other teens that had been playing.

The rest of the morning passed rather quickly, a couple of hours playing ball shifted into hanging out at the mall for lunch before Kyle and Rhonda had to split to head to work, Xander’s respect for Kyle went up when he learned that Kyle had been working at one of the town’s office buildings as a weekend janitor for three years, Rhonda had been working at one of the stores in the mall for about six months.

Really the more Xander learned about them the more he realized them just labeling them the mean kids as was wrong as anyone at school calling Buffy a freak and Willow a geek. It was just what they looked liked at a glance and not who they really were at all.

Shortly after they left Heidi declared that she needed to get home for some family stuff and that she’d seem them later. That was how Xander found himself alone with Tor in one of Sunnydale’s many graveyards learning how to smoke a cigar and finally a chance to get some of his questions answered. If he didn’t choke to death first. 

“So has Rhonda always foul that much or was I just lucky today?” He asked Tor just as he felt like his lung wanted to cough its way up this throat. 

“Slow down there, don’t smoke it so fast and no, she can be rough but not that bad. She was still pissed over Kyle…what time did it happen last night? Was it about twenty minutes after you left my place?” 

Xander listened as Tor’s voice grew unsure and hesitant. It wasn’t the fight itself, Tor seemed the less bugged by it then the others, or maybe it was just that he found out before the others and Xander wasn’t around for that part, so he wasn’t sure what it was about, and why ask when? And why did it look so easy when he smoked his own cigar he didn’t like look his lungs wanted out of his chest. “Yeah about that I guess,” he’d barely been able to even say that much Xander thought as he had to clear his throat and take a few breaths without coughing before he felt good enough to go on, “we had just reached Sheridan Park so yes about twenty minutes more or less. That’s an odd question to ask.” 

“I felt it, when it happened.”

Tor looked so confident as he let out a ring of smoke from his mouth before looking back at Xander, like the time had been all he needed to confirm whatever he was talking about. And Xander only wished he looked that confident half the time, but how could Tor have… “You what? Want to try that one again?”

“I felt the fight, about twenty minutes after you two left I felt this…danger, no that’s not right, violence is the best I’ve got, I felt like something was happening and I had to do something, I even went outside and to the gate before the feeling was gone. And I remembered what you said about being outside so I went back in, speaking of that should we be in a graveyard?”

Xander just listened to Tor as he look another puff of the cigar, it’s taste was nice, strong, but nice, he could see why Tor liked them; but he couldn’t thing of why Tor would have been able to feel the fight. But it hadn’t been the only time something like that happened, the sunset… “During the day graveyards are fine, mostly. Was it like yesterday, when you ended up meet up with us in the woods?” Did they have a link? Was this part of the possession? Why hadn’t Giles’ been at the library?

“The need to go was the same but not the rest; I didn’t feel like anyone was in danger the first time, just that I was wanted.”

He really needed to try and find Giles soon. “The others all felt like they wanted to be there on the ridge, maybe we’re drawn to each other. We have a superpower, the amazing psychic link.” He finished with a grin as he took another puff from the cigar, and didn’t even cough, well only a little.

“You would be into comic books wouldn’t you? But you think that’s all it is?”

“All it is; now I know you don’t read comics. Having a mental link is never as simple as it sounds. I mean you lying back relaxing alone in your room with a magazine you barrowed from you dad, the last thing you want is four other people knowing what you’re doing. And did I just say that?” crap I’ve been able to keep my motor mouth under check all day why now. “But you get what I mean right?” don’t realize I was talking about jerking off come on

“What if you wanted…is that why we want to spend time together? Last week we wouldn’t have given you the time of day and now…”

Wanted what? Man, he thinks I have all the answers just like Kyle, G-man’s job sucks, “I don’t know. Maybe? I’m not sure but I will find out, for all of us.” Xander answered before he let himself become quiet as he just watched Tor, the older teen was clearly thinking about something but Xander was also fairly sure he wasn’t going to be the one Tor shared with and that….Xander didn’t like being so sure of that at all.

Maybe he should show Tor where he can get some of the answers so he doesn’t have to ask.

***Interlude: Sorororis***

“Good evening Ms Kelley. The others are in the study.”

Rhonda just smiled at Ms Cutter before she made her way through the Hauer Mansion toward the _study_. Really it was Tor’s personal parlor filled with video games and a big screen TV. It also had a table and enough space for all four of them to divide up and do their homework without parents or siblings getting in the way.

“I hope you guys didn’t start without me.” She said as she entered the room, dropping her bag on the table before sitting next to Kyle and pulling him into a kiss not even listening to the replies from the others. For some reason the last couple days she’d just wanted to touch him and kiss him more then normal, she’d gone all day at school without doing anything before but now she just couldn’t seen to keep her hands off him. And if his hand on her back was any indication he felt the same way.

“Tor has a guest room if you need it.”

She felt Kyle leaning back and away and she had to fight the desire to lean forward to keep the kiss going but she knew she shouldn’t no matter how much she wanted to “What?” Heidi was just watching her. Heidi always did a lot of watching.

“You and Kyle, unless you like giving a show.”

If she hadn’t been smiling Rhonda would have done more the flick one of Kyle’s pencils at her. Rhonda just smiled back as she climbed off of Kyle’s lap, and when had she climbed on? She then slid into her own chair while Heidi batted the pencil away almost hitting Tor who had been avoiding the byplay so far.

In fact he was still ignoring it even when the pencil bounced off his shoulder, and yeah it didn’t have much force behind it but he could have looked up from the book, and that didn’t look like one of their textbooks, “Good book Tor?”

“Huh, what? Did someone ask something?”

Must be a good book, Tor’s not that big on reading she thought as Kyle answered Tor’s question.

“She asked if that was a good book and what is it? It’s not for school is it.”

Tor didn’t even complain when Kyle just took the book and flipped it around facing him so Rhonda leaned in closer to him so she could se it too and...was it hand written? And what were those pictures?

She looked from the book to Tor, he had his “yeah whatever” look he used when he didn’t want to answer the questions he knew were coming but he didn’t want to look like he didn’t want to answer them, it had served him well dealing with his fellow jocks and their need to know every detail of each other’s made up sex lives but it wouldn’t help him here. “Did I miss something on our reading list?”

“What’s it about?”

“Where did you find a book about vampires?”

“What?” Vampires, that’s not what she expected the answer to Heidi’s question to be and yeah Kyle had a good question too but she had an even better one, why did he…wait vampires, Xander had told them vampires were real, hadn’t he.

“This afternoon Xander showed me this occult store, he said they were the real deal if you knew how to ask. So I asked, the guy said it was your basic primer on dealing with vampires.”

“How weird is it living in a world where vampires are real?”

Kyle had a point it was weird but after what happened. Well Xander didn’t sound crazy, just bossy and a bit of a dick for hurting Kyle. She still couldn’t believe that Kyle lost to him, he didn’t look that tough.

“Does it say how to kill them?”

The anger and hatred in Heidi’s voice just seemed wrong and sent a chill down her spine. She hasn’t said anything about what they’d found out about her brother yet but clearly she’d been thinking about it.

“Yes it has a whole chapter about it, here.”

Rhonda watched as Tor flipped the pages around until he reached the pages he was looking for. He leaned back and watched as Kyle read. And reading it over Kyle’s shoulder wasn’t working the script was just too difficult to read, no wonder Tor had been so focused on it.

“Okay so it looks like the movies got some stuff right, they’re listing wood through the heart, fire, sun, holy water, and beheading.”

That does sounds like something right out of the movies, “why does anyone need this book then?” just rent a vampire movie really.

“Because those don’t tell you that fire isn’t any more effective then it is on a human and not all holy water is equal. That and they talk about Master vampires somewhere being more resistant to them but I’m not sure what makes a master vampire. I haven’t gotten to that part.”

Okay so not all of them work all the time, that is good to know. But god she hopes she never sees one.

“Let’s kill some.”

She did not like the look in Heidi’s eyes at all, no not one bit.

“Xander said he and his friends patrol and hunt them. If they can do it so can we.”

“Heidi, we can’t just-” This did not feel like a good idea.

“They killed my brother and I want some payback. For Mitch, and who knows how many others. I say we get some payback.”

“Look, I’m not saying we should do something but let’s think this though.”

Good Kyle make her think, this is so not a good idea. Rhonda thought as she moved close to Heidi to offer some support as Kyle talked to her.

“Yeah if we do this we should talk to Xander, he’s the one that’s done this. We shouldn’t just go off on our own.”

She knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment Tor started talking, He may have warmed up to Xander but Kyle hadn’t. Kyle was suddenly stiff and ridge, Kyle still haven’t told her the whole story behind his fight with Xander and despite whatever Kyle said, this thing with the younger guy wasn’t over.

“Heidi’s right, we can do it and we don’t need Xander. To do this we just need to get some stakes right?”

“I’m not sure about this either,” This was just nuts. She wasn’t ready to see a real vampire, knowing was enough thank you.

“Guys! This is our town, so let’s just show those things who is boss.”

Rhonda just looked at the others after Kyle’s statement, but none of the others said anything and she couldn’t either. She didn’t like this but Kyle and Heidi wanted it.

“Tor the fire wood out back, we can use some of it to make stakes right?”

***(Omega)***

“Xander is something wrong?”

Xander looked over at Willow before throwing on a grin he really didn’t feel. “Everything’s fine, I’m good, better then good. I’m with my best bud why wouldn’t it be good and great even?” Xander babbled as he looked back at the window, he felt like he should go, like he had somewhere he didn’t to be but he didn’t have any other plans…did he?

“You’ve been distracted for the last ten minutes so out with it mister.”

And he had to smile at that, “I’m good Wils but I forgot my mother was cooking meat loft tonight and she thinks that’s my favorite…” I’m so sorry for lying Willow I just need to go. Don’t give me the sad Willow eyes

“I guess you should get going then. Want to come over tomorrow?”

“You bet your socks I do. Bight and early only not early and I won’t be too bright,” and there’s my smile, still got it. “Later.”

Now to find out what the heck is going on, Xander thought as he started walking faster and faster until he was all but running following the feeling in his gut that was starting to change from just a need to go somewhere to one of fear, something was wrong.

He’d just hit the edge of one of the cemeteries when he saw them. Kyle, Rhonda, Tor and Heidi fighting with two vampires and it looked like they were losing. Rhonda was on the ground and there was blood on her and both Kyle and Heidi and only Heidi and Tor seemed to be holding anything that even looked like stakes. 

Xander didn’t even thing about it he just ran straight for them feeling the wooden cross and stake in his pockets as he threw himself at one of the vampires. He felt the hard cold body under him and heard the hiss of pain and he knew that spike of pain in his arm was going to be a problem later but none of it mattered then he felt himself drop down a few inches as the body turned to dust, and never do that again he thought as he started coughing up all the dust he’d swallowed.

He heard his name behind him he forced himself to ignore them as he pushed himself up as fast as he could, faster than he thought he could, and held out the cross toward the other vampire as he focused on talking through the coughing, “get behind me.”

“We are Xander.”

He almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of Tor’s voice all but in his ear. That’s when he realized Tor was right behind him, even had a hand on his shoulder, that must have been how he got up so fast, he had help. A quick glace told him Heidi was right behind him next to Tor and Kyle was kneeling next to Rhonda

“Don’t even think of moving unless you want to become part of the graveyard like your friend that I’m coughing up,” Xander ordered while holding the cross a little straighter when he saw the vampire start to move. Xander took a step to the side to put himself more directly between the vampire and Rhonda. This was bad, he got lucky with the last one but he didn’t know if he could do it again. Where was Buffy when you need her?

“I’m going to rip out your heart human.”

Crap, don’t charge me don’t charge me don’t charge me “You sure about that? You think you can take me and my friends without getting dusted? Really because I may not be great at math but…can you add.” Just leave; just go just go just go.

“This isn’t over blood bag.”

Xander waited until he couldn’t see the vampire through the trees any more before he let out the breath he’d been holding and he was almost okay for a second, then Heidi tried to say something.

“Why’d you let him-“

And then he was just pissed “Shut up, all of you just the hell shut up unless I ask you something.” They’d done this on purpose. They’d gone out hunting and now Rhonda, and now Rhonda… Xander knelt down next to Kyle and looked over Rhonda. She had blood coming from her head but Kyle has his jacket pressed into it, other wise it just looked like bumps, she should be okay but there was a lot of blood coming out of that cut, and she wasn’t conscious. “Anyone else bleeding or anything broken?” Xander glanced over them all, seeing them all shake their heads, good. “Tor help Kyle carry her Heidi keep your eyes on the treeline anything moves point it out to me. Let’s get Rhonda to the ER.”

The walk to Sunnydale hospital was quick and quiet, Kyle too focused on Rhonda, Tor just casting guilty looks between Rhonda and Xander, and Heidi looked upset, but she didn’t speak so Xander knew it could wait, getting Rhonda help came first.

“What happened?”

“She was attacked we didn’t see who,” Xander quickly answered the doctor that met them in the middle of the ER with a gurney, glared at Kyle when he opened his mouth at the lie. Moments later the doctor and Rhonda were gone, beyond the red line and out of reach for now at least.

“Is she going to be alright?”

Xander just blinked as he turned to look at Heidi, “I don’t know,” he said before taking a deep breath, trying to keep everything in check but, the shocked looks on Heidi’s and Tor’s faces, like they didn’t understand how it happened. How lost Kyle looked at he just started at the double doors leading deeper into the ER. “What were you all thinking?”

“Vampires deserve to be killed, every last one.”

Heidi, her brother! He should have realized she was too quiet about that. “You think I don’t know that? But what you did was stupid even by my standards and those, pretty low. Do you want to join your brother?” He asked as he just walked right up to her and kept walking matching her step for step until she hit the far walk of the waiting room. It weird being in someone else’s personal space and not feeling weird about being in their space. “Or worse?”

“We had stakes-“

“No you had wood that doesn’t even dream of being a stake,” Xander just shot back talking over Heidi, he had to get through to her. “Humans and demons with human bodies have these things called ribs and some pretty strong muscles so unless you’re hiding super strength you need a good point on your stake to even hope to get their heart. Did yours?”

“The book-“

“Probably thinks its readers wouldn’t go off have cocked. Did you even look to find out _where_ the heart is? Or did you think the vampire would just let you poke around for it?” please tell me they weren’t that bad, god they were. That was the first thing Willow and I looked up…okay Willow looked it up but I watched.

“You said worse? What’s worse than being dead?”

He turned to face Kyle before glancing at Tor and Heidi, they didn’t get it, and they really didn’t. “Death is easy; it’s over its quick. Worst is having to watch a thing that use to be your friend tell you everything he’s going to do to you and your friend, friends that used to be his too. And then having to watch his face dissolve into dust and know you did it. The last bit of your friend gone because of you. So death, not the worst that can happen.” Don’t think about Jesse, don’t think about it, just not now.

“Rhonda? Will she…”

The anger left as fast at it had come at Kyle’s tone, fully of worry and fear. It wasn’t like he was perfect, Buffy had to save him from his own mistakes more than once. But man it was weird being on the other side of that. “No, it takes more then bleeding around vampires to become one. She’ll be alright, I may not have known her long but I do know she’s tough.”

And then he surprised himself by just stepping forward and pulled Kyle into a hug, but he remembered how he felt after Je-the Harvest. Only he didn’t have anyone to turn to because he couldn’t turn to Willow, not after what he’s done.

After a moment he felt Kyle just relax a little, his body still felt far too tense but that wouldn’t change until they could see Rhonda again. Then he felt another hand his shoulder and saw Heidi snuggle herself into Kyle’s side resting her head on her friend’s shoulder with a look full of guilt. Then he felt Tor standing next to them.

“We’re here for you, and soon so will Rhonda, right guys,” Xander just focusing on Kyle. Helping Kyle he could do, he couldn’t help Rhonda right now, but he could be there for Kyle.

He knew they had to look weird when the Doctor came by later to tell them Rhonda was okay but it didn’t matter, it was what Kyle needed, what he needed, he couldn’t lose someone else not so soon after…not so soon and even if he hadn’t know Rhonda long, he didn’t want to lose her. So he was glad when the doctor said she was fine and could leave, it was just a very bad cut and a bump on the head.

“We thought we could do it, it seemed so simple.”

Xander just observed Heidi for a moment as the group walked to Tor’s place trying to think of how to respond to her. She was a lot like him, and she was going to go after them just like him, least he could do was make it safer. “It is simple on paper. Wood into heart, but you know what’s also simple on paper, space travel. Ship on rocket, rocket into space, ship to new planet. Simple.” He just said with a grin.

“It’s not that simple.”

His humor was going to drive Kyle’s nuts, “Your right it’s not.” Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds like it should be.

“So what did we miss?”

“Right to the point Heidi. Well first you need to have stakes, real stakes, then none of you had crosses, or holy water. And that’s just to start.” Xander told them as he looked over the group. All of them even Rhonda was listening. “Look if you guys are going to hunt them we have a lot to go over before the next hunt, which will be no earlier then next weekend.”

“Good, that will give Rhonda time to stop being a cripple.”

“I’ll show you a cripple.”

Xander just smirked as he watched Kyle dodge around the group keeping just out of reach of Rhonda, a smile on his face for the first time since Xander had found them that night.

***Epilog***

Why couldn’t these damn American students learn to return their bloody books it was going to take him all day to fill out these forms for the office. And that’s only if nothing happens, which wasn’t something he could count on in this damned school.

And here comes Xander to warn me of some calamitous problem I’m sure, “You’re here rather early this morning, anything wrong?”

“Wrong why would anything be wrong, just a couple of questions. Nothing major or anything.”

Oh dear lord the world is ending isn’t it, “Xander just come out with it already, what has happened.” Yes tell me so I can try and prepare Buffy for it.

“Okay then, well G-man about the whole hyena possession thing…you said that memory loss wasn’t one of the side effects so what were the side effects?”

He’s just still worried about that, much better for the world at least, “Well Xander there is a great deal of possible effects but most require either more time under the influence of the spirit or some ritual. For you the most likely one would be a small change in diet and some left over longings for a group dynamic like that of the Pack-“ Giles stopped himself when he saw that Xander’s eyes were glazing over, damn teenagers, “Getting redder meat and wanting to be in a group rather then alone.”

“Why didn’t you say so the first time?”

I did, “Any other questions before we all put this behind us?” Please say yes, I have far too much work before Buffy’s training…and my back is still hurting from Friday.

“Yes just one and it’s a bit odd but could, well is it, that is could-“

“Xander,” Out with it already.

“I can feel them.”

What? He can…that’s rather odd, Giles thought as he looked over Xander again before taking off his glasses and cleaning them before answering, “You can feel them, as in where they are? The “they” are the others that were possessed, correct?”

“Yeah it’s them and yes where they are kind of but mostly…I knew when they were in trouble. I knew where to find them, is something happening to me, us.”

He’s rather worried; maybe he’s not as dumb as he acts after all. Good now lets hope I can say the same about Buffy before the year is out, “Having an empathy link, being able to feel them, is one of the side effects I read about but it’s very rare. But it like all the effects will wear off if not maintained by a fresh possession. All the effects should fade by the end of the week. You’re not changing into anything.” But smart lad to be worried about it, all the same. Now to just get him willing to read the books when we’re researching and not just look at the pictures.

“Okay cool good to know, not that I was worried or anything, so thanks and later G-man.”

“Stop calling me that, no never mind,” Giles called after Xander as the teen all but ran out of the library. I really must do something about that horrible name. But that will have to be later now where was I? Ah yes, Jonathan Levinson you still have one of my books.

The end


End file.
